Pepper hybrid SV4919HG

ABSTRACT

The invention provides seed and plants of pepper hybrid SV4919HG and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of pepper hybrid SV4919HG and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a pepper plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another pepper plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of plant breeding and, morespecifically, to the development of pepper hybrid SV4919HG and theinbred pepper lines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The goal of vegetable breeding is to combine various desirable traits ina single variety/hybrid. Such desirable traits may include any traitdeemed beneficial by a grower and/or consumer, including greater yield,resistance to insects or disease, tolerance to environmental stress, andnutritional value.

Breeding techniques take advantage of a plant's method of pollination.There are two general methods of pollination: a plant self-pollinates ifpollen from one flower is transferred to the same or another flower ofthe same plant or plant variety. A plant cross-pollinates if pollencomes to it from a flower of a different plant variety.

Plants that have been self-pollinated and selected for type over manygenerations become homozygous at almost all gene loci and produce auniform population of true breeding progeny, a homozygous plant. A crossbetween two such homozygous plants of different genotypes produces auniform population of hybrid plants that are heterozygous for many geneloci. Conversely, a cross of two plants each heterozygous at a number ofloci produces a population of hybrid plants that differ genetically andare not uniform. The resulting non-uniformity makes performanceunpredictable.

The development of uniform varieties requires the development ofhomozygous inbred plants, the crossing of these inbred plants, and theevaluation of the crosses. Pedigree breeding and recurrent selection areexamples of breeding methods that have been used to develop inbredplants from breeding populations. Those breeding methods combine thegenetic backgrounds from two or more plants or various other broad-basedsources into breeding pools from which new lines and hybrids derivedtherefrom are developed by selfing and selection of desired phenotypes.The new lines and hybrids are evaluated to determine which of those havecommercial potential.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention provides a pepper plant of thehybrid designated SV4919HG, the pepper line GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 or pepperline HZZ-114-1028. Also provided are pepper plants having all thephysiological and morphological characteristics of such a plant. Partsof these pepper plants are also provided, for example, including pollen,an ovule, scion, a rootstock, a fruit, and a cell of the plant.

In another aspect of the invention, a plant of pepper hybrid SV4919HGand/or pepper lines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028 comprising anadded heritable trait is provided. The heritable trait may comprise agenetic locus that is, for example, a dominant or recessive allele. Inone embodiment of the invention, a plant of pepper hybrid SV4919HGand/or pepper lines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028 is defined ascomprising a single locus conversion. In specific embodiments of theinvention, an added genetic locus confers one or more traits such as,for example, herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, disease resistance,and modified carbohydrate metabolism. In further embodiments, the traitmay be conferred by a naturally occurring gene introduced into thegenome of a line by backcrossing, a natural or induced mutation, or atransgene introduced through genetic transformation techniques into theplant or a progenitor of any previous generation thereof. Whenintroduced through transformation, a genetic locus may comprise one ormore genes integrated at a single chromosomal location.

The invention also concerns the seed of pepper hybrid SV4919HG and/orpepper lines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028. The pepper seed of theinvention may be provided as an essentially homogeneous population ofpepper seed of pepper hybrid SV4919HG and/or pepper linesGUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028. Essentially homogeneous populationsof seed are generally free from substantial numbers of other seed.Therefore, seed of hybrid SV4919HG and/or pepper linesGUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028 may be defined as forming at leastabout 97% of the total seed, including at least about 98%, 99% or moreof the seed. The seed population may be separately grown to provide anessentially homogeneous population of pepper plants designated SV4919HGand/or pepper lines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028.

In yet another aspect of the invention, a tissue culture of regenerablecells of a pepper plant of hybrid SV4919HG and/or pepper linesGUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028 is provided. The tissue culture willpreferably be capable of regenerating pepper plants capable ofexpressing all of the physiological and morphological characteristics ofthe starting plant, and of regenerating plants having substantially thesame genotype as the starting plant. Examples of some of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of the hybrid SV4919HGand/or pepper lines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028 include thosetraits set forth in the tables herein. The regenerable cells in suchtissue cultures may be derived, for example, from embryos, meristems,cotyledons, pollen, leaves, anthers, roots, root tips, pistils, flowers,seed and stalks. Still further, the present invention provides pepperplants regenerated from a tissue culture of the invention, the plantshaving all the physiological and morphological characteristics of hybridSV4919HG and/or pepper lines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028.

In still yet another aspect of the invention, processes are provided forproducing pepper seeds, plants and fruit, which processes generallycomprise crossing a first parent pepper plant with a second parentpepper plant, wherein at least one of the first or second parent pepperplants is a plant of pepper line GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 or pepper lineHZZ-114-1028. These processes may be further exemplified as processesfor preparing hybrid pepper seed or plants, wherein a first pepper plantis crossed with a second pepper plant of a different, distinct genotypeto provide a hybrid that has, as one of its parents, a plant of pepperline GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 or pepper line HZZ-114-1028. In these processes,crossing will result in the production of seed. The seed productionoccurs regardless of whether the seed is collected or not.

In one embodiment of the invention, the first step in “crossing”comprises planting seeds of a first and second parent pepper plant,often in proximity so that pollination will occur for example, mediatedby insect vectors. Alternatively, pollen can be transferred manually.Where the plant is self-pollinated, pollination may occur without theneed for direct human intervention other than plant cultivation.

A second step may comprise cultivating or growing the seeds of first andsecond parent pepper plants into plants that bear flowers. A third stepmay comprise preventing self-pollination of the plants, such as byemasculating the flowers (i.e., killing or removing the pollen).

A fourth step for a hybrid cross may comprise cross-pollination betweenthe first and second parent pepper plants. Yet another step comprisesharvesting the seeds from at least one of the parent pepper plants. Theharvested seed can be grown to produce a pepper plant or hybrid pepperplant.

The present invention also provides the pepper seeds and plants producedby a process that comprises crossing a first parent pepper plant with asecond parent pepper plant, wherein at least one of the first or secondparent pepper plants is a plant of pepper hybrid SV4919HG and/or pepperlines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028. In one embodiment of theinvention, pepper seed and plants produced by the process are firstgeneration (F₁) hybrid pepper seed and plants produced by crossing aplant in accordance with the invention with another, distinct plant. Thepresent invention further contemplates plant parts of such an F₁ hybridpepper plant, and methods of use thereof. Therefore, certain exemplaryembodiments of the invention provide an F₁ hybrid pepper plant and seedthereof.

In still yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method ofproducing a plant derived from hybrid SV4919HG and/or pepper linesGUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028, the method comprising the steps of:(a) preparing a progeny plant derived from hybrid SV4919HG and/or pepperlines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028, wherein said preparingcomprises crossing a plant of the hybrid SV4919HG and/or pepper linesGUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028 with a second plant; and (b)crossing the progeny plant with itself or a second plant to produce aseed of a progeny plant of a subsequent generation. In furtherembodiments, the method may additionally comprise: (c) growing a progenyplant of a subsequent generation from said seed of a progeny plant of asubsequent generation and crossing the progeny plant of a subsequentgeneration with itself or a second plant; and repeating the steps for anadditional 3-10 generations to produce a plant derived from hybridSV4919HG and/or pepper lines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028. Theplant derived from hybrid SV4919HG and/or pepper linesGUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028 may be an inbred line, and theaforementioned repeated crossing steps may be defined as comprisingsufficient inbreeding to produce the inbred line. In the method, it maybe desirable to select particular plants resulting from step (c) forcontinued crossing according to steps (b) and (c). By selecting plantshaving one or more desirable traits, a plant derived from hybridSV4919HG and/or pepper lines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028 isobtained which possesses some of the desirable traits of the line/hybridas well as potentially other selected traits.

In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a method ofproducing food or feed comprising: (a) obtaining a plant of pepperhybrid SV4919HG and/or pepper lines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028,wherein the plant has been cultivated to maturity, and (b) collecting atleast one pepper from the plant.

In still yet another aspect of the invention, the genetic complement ofpepper hybrid SV4919HG and/or pepper lines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 andHZZ-114-1028 is provided. The phrase “genetic complement” is used torefer to the aggregate of nucleotide sequences, the expression of whichsequences defines the phenotype of, in the present case, a pepper plant,or a cell or tissue of that plant. A genetic complement thus representsthe genetic makeup of a cell, tissue or plant, and a hybrid geneticcomplement represents the genetic make up of a hybrid cell, tissue orplant. The invention thus provides pepper plant cells that have agenetic complement in accordance with the pepper plant cells disclosedherein, and seeds and plants containing such cells.

Plant genetic complements may be assessed by genetic marker profiles,and by the expression of phenotypic traits that are characteristic ofthe expression of the genetic complement, e.g., isozyme typing profiles.It is understood that hybrid SV4919HG and/or pepper linesGUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028 could be identified by any of themany well known techniques such as, for example, Simple Sequence LengthPolymorphisms (SSLPs) (Williams et al., Nucleic Acids Res., 18:6531-6535, 1990), Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs), DNAAmplification Fingerprinting (DAF), Sequence Characterized AmplifiedRegions (SCARs), Arbitrary Primed Polymerase Chain Reaction (AP-PCR),Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs) (EP 534 858,specifically incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), andSingle Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) (Wang et al., Science,280:1077-1082, 1998).

In still yet another aspect, the present invention provides hybridgenetic complements, as represented by pepper plant cells, tissues,plants, and seeds, formed by the combination of a haploid geneticcomplement of a pepper plant of the invention with a haploid geneticcomplement of a second pepper plant, preferably, another, distinctpepper plant. In another aspect, the present invention provides a pepperplant regenerated from a tissue culture that comprises a hybrid geneticcomplement of this invention.

Any embodiment discussed herein with respect to one aspect of theinvention applies to other aspects of the invention as well, unlessspecifically noted.

The term “about” is used to indicate that a value includes the standarddeviation of the mean for the device or method being employed todetermine the value. The use of the term “or” in the claims is used tomean “and/or” unless explicitly indicated to refer to alternatives onlyor the alternatives are mutually exclusive. When used in conjunctionwith the word “comprising” or other open language in the claims, thewords “a” and “an” denote “one or more,” unless specifically notedotherwise. The terms “comprise,” “have” and “include” are open-endedlinking verbs. Any forms or tenses of one or more of these verbs, suchas “comprises,” “comprising,” “has,” “having,” “includes” and“including,” are also open-ended. For example, any method that“comprises,” “has” or “includes” one or more steps is not limited topossessing only those one or more steps and also covers other unlistedsteps. Similarly, any plant that “comprises,” “has” or “includes” one ormore traits is not limited to possessing only those one or more traitsand covers other unlisted traits.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description. It should beunderstood, however, that the detailed description and any specificexamples provided, while indicating specific embodiments of theinvention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changesand modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from this detaileddescription.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides methods and compositions relating to plants,seeds and derivatives of pepper hybrid SV4919HG, pepper lineGUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and pepper line HZZ-114-1028.

Hybrid SV4919HG, also known as “PX 11404919”, is a typical guajillofruit type, with a flat shape, and typical smell and flavor of aguajillo. It has higher yield, mainly due to heavier fruits, than thehybrid Tarretero′. It has slightly higher pungency, on average 20%higher, than the hybrid Tarretero′. This hybrid is grown primarily inMexico for harvest as red fruits for drying. It exhibits excellent driedfruit quality due to its uniform fruit size and shape. The fruitsaverage 12.3 cm long×3.2 cm wide, and weigh an average of 30 g. Immaturecolor is a medium green, and fruits mature to dark red. Fruit pungencywas measured by HPLC using fruit grown in Woodland during the summer of2013 growing season at 4,546 Scoville Heat Units (SHU) (dry basis),compared to Barretero which had fruit pungency of 3,630 SHU (dry basis).It has higher yield (409 g/plant, compared to the hybrid ‘Barretero’ at370 g/plant) mainly due to heavier fruits (29.7 g vs 27.7 g). Plantheight averaged 110 cm, with a semi-spreading plant habit. It matures tored in approximately 105 days after transplanting, similar to the hybridcheck ‘Barretero’. Hybrid SV4919HG exhibits intermediate resistant toPhytophthora capsici, while ‘Barretero’ is susceptible. Hybrid SV4919HGis well-adapted to the main guajillo growing area of Mexico, theZacatecas area, with excellent dried fruit quality.

A. Origin and Breeding History of Pepper Hybrid SV4919HG

The parents of hybrid SV4919HG are GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028.The parent lines are uniform and stable, as is a hybrid producedtherefrom. A small percentage of variants can occur within commerciallyacceptable limits for almost any characteristic during the course ofrepeated multiplication. However no variants are expected.

B. Physiological and Morphological Characteristics of Pepper HybridSV4919HG, Pepper Line GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and Pepper Line HZZ-114-1028

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a plant having the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of pepper hybrid SV4919HG and the parent lines thereof.A description of the physiological and morphological characteristics ofsuch plants is presented in Tables 1-2.

TABLE 1 Physiological and Morphological Characteristics of HybridSV4919HG Sonora CHARACTERISTIC SV4919HG (HAN 35-1036) 1. Species C.annuum annuum 2. Maturity (in region of best adaptability) days fromtransplanting until 45 46 mature green stage days from transplantinguntil 77 100 mature red or yellow stage days from direct seeding until84 85 mature green stage days from direct seeding until 116 139 maturered or yellow stage Seedling anthocyanin coloration of absent absenthypocotyl 3. Plant habit semi-spreading semi-spreading attitudeprostrate semi-upright/ semi-erect plant height 69.3 cm 72.3 cm plantwidth 66.7 cm 65.6 cm length of stem from cotyledon 22.2 cm 19.7 cm tofirst flower length of the third internode 99.9 mm 85.5 mm (from soilsurface) length of stem long long shortened internode (in upper presentpresent part) number of internodes between more than three one to threethe first flower and the shortened internodes stem: hairiness of nodesabsent or absent or very weak very weak height tall tall basal branchesnone few (2-3) branch flexibility willowy willowy stem strength(breakage intermediate strong resistance) 4. Leaf length of blade mediumlong width of blade narrow broad width 48.3 mm 71.2 mm length 104.4 mm 135.7 mm  petiole length 53.6 mm 50.3 mm color dark green dark greencolor (RHS Color Chart value) 147A 147A intensity of green color darkdark mature leaf shape lanceolate ovate leaf and stem pubescence absentabsent undulation of margin medium medium blistering weak medium profilein cross section moderately concave strongly concave glossiness weakmedium 5. Flower peduncle: attitude semi-drooping semi-drooping flowersper leaf axil 1 1 calyx lobes 6.6 6.3 petals 6.6 6 diameter 25.7 mm 24.1mm corolla color white white corolla throat markings yellow yellowanther color purple purple style length exceeds stamen exceeds stamenself-incompatibility present present 6. Fruit group Anaheim ChiliAnaheim Chili (Sandia) (Sandia) color (before maturity) green greenintensity of color (before medium medium maturity) immature fruit colormedium green medium green immature fruit color (RHS 144A 144A ColorChart value) attitude/position drooping/ drooping/ pendent pendentlength long very long diameter medium medium ratio length/diametermedium large calyx diameter 21.7 mm 18.7 mm fruit length 131.5 mm  189.1mm  fruit diameter at calyx 23.3 mm 25.0 mm attachment fruit diameter atmid-point 26.4 mm 28.6 mm flesh thickness at mid-point  2.8 mm  3.6 mmaverage number of fruits per 27.1 18.4 plant % large fruits 20.30%42.30% weight range: weight range: 30 to 48 50.5 to 101  % medium fruits39.40% 46.10% weight range: weight range: 20 to 29 25.5 to 49.5 % smallfruits 40.30% 11.60% weight range: weight range:  1 to 19   1 to 24.5average fruit weight 25.3 gm 59.9 gm fruit shape (longitudinalhorn-shaped narrowly section) triangular fruit shape (cross section, atangular/ angular/ level of placenta) tri-angular tri-angular sinuationof pericarp at basal weak medium part sinuation of pericarp excludingabsent or weak basal part very weak texture of surface slightly wrinkledslightly wrinkled surface smoothness smooth rough color (at maturity)red red intensity of color (at maturity) dark dark mature fruit colorred red mature fruit color (RHS Color N34A N34A Chart value) glossinessstrong moderate stalk cavity absent absent pedicel length 52.0 mm 43.3mm pedicel thickness  5.3 mm  5.7 mm pedicel shape curved curved pedicelcavity absent absent stalk: length long medium stalk: thickness mediummedium shape of apex moderately acute moderately acute shape Elongate(Long Elongate (Long Thin Cayenne) Thin Cayenne) set scatteredconcentrated depth of interloculary grooves shallow medium number oflocules predominately predominately three two % fruits with one locule   0%    0% % fruits with two locules 10.00% 53.40% % fruits with threelocules   57% 46.70% % fruits with four locules 33.30%    0% % fruitswith five or more    0%    0% locules average number of locules 3.2 2.5thickness of flesh thin medium calyx: aspect enveloping (cup envelopingshaped) pungency hot hot capsaicin in placenta present present flavorstrong pepper mild pepper flavor flavor glossiness shiny moderate 7.Seed seed cavity length 120.7 mm 177.5 mm seed cavity diameter  22.0 mm 23.5 mm placenta length 80.8 mm 121.0 mm number of seeds per fruit156.3 236.5 grams per 1000 seeds  6.0 gm  7.9 gm color yellow yellow 8.Anthocyanin coloration of: stem absent absent nodes moderate weak stem:intensity of anthocyanin strong weak coloration of nodes leaf absentabsent pedicel absent absent calyx absent absent anther present presentfruit coloration absent absent beginning of flowering (1^(st) earlymedium flower on 2^(nd) flowering node) time of maturity very early late*These are typical values. Values may vary due to environment. Othervalues that are substantially equivalent are also with the scope of theinvention.

TABLE 2 Physiological and Morphological Characteristics of LineGUA-FD-1007-9473-6 GUA-FD- CHARACTERISTIC 1007-9473-6 Barretero 1.Species C. annuum annuum 2. Maturity (in region of best adaptability)days from transplanting until 51 48 mature green stage days fromtransplanting until 83 77 mature red or yellow stage days from directseeding until 91 88 mature green stage days from direct seeding until123 116 mature red or yellow stage 3. Plant habit semi-spreading semi-spreading attitude Upright/erect (De upright/erect Cayenne, Doux treslong des Landes, Piquant d'Algerie) plant height  51.1 cm  69.7 cm plantwidth  48.3 cm  66.4 cm length of stem from cotyledon  12.8 cm  18.8 cmto first flower length of the third internode  71.6 mm  69.6 mm (fromsoil surface) length of stem short (Delphin, medium Trophy) shortenedinternode (in upper present (Feher, present part) Kalocsai 601, Kalocsai702) number of internodes between more than three one to three the firstflower and the (Kalocsai 702) shortened internodes stem: hairiness ofnodes absent or absent or very weak very weak (Arlequin) height medium(HRF) tall basal branches none none branch flexibility rigid (Yolowillowy Wonder) stem strength (breakage weak strong resistance) 4. Leaflength of blade short (De Cayenne, medium Szentesi cseresznye) width ofblade narrow (De Cayenne, narrow Pusztagold, Szentesi cseresznye) width 40.9 mm  45.6 mm length  75.2 mm  96.1 mm petiole length  39.8 mm  47.6mm color dark green dark green color (RHS Color Chart value) 147A 147Aintensity of green color dark (Dolmy, Tinto) dark mature leaf shapelanceolate (Diavolo, lanceolate Recio) leaf and stem pubescence absentabsent undulation of margin weak (Doux tres long very weak des Landes)blistering weak (Pusztagold) very weak profile in cross section stronglyconcave moderately (Slavy) concave glossiness weak (De Cayenne, strongDoux tres long des landes) 5. Flower peduncle: attitude semi-droopingsemi-drooping (Blondy) flowers per leaf axil 1.3 1 calyx lobes 5.9 6.7petals 6.2 6.3 diameter  21.7 mm  28.0 mm corolla color white whitecorolla throat markings yellow yellow anther color purple purple stylelength exceeds exceeds stamen stamen self-incompatibility presentpresent 6. Fruit group Anaheim Chili Anaheim Chili (Sandia) (Sandia)color (before maturity) green (California green wonder, Lamuyo)intensity of color (before medium medium maturity) immature fruit colormedium green medium green immature fruit color (RHS 144A 144A ColorChart value) attitude/position drooping/pendent drooping/ (De Cayenne,pendent Lamuyo) length medium (Feher, long Lamuyo) diameter medium (Douxmedium italien, Como di toro) ratio length/diameter medium (Adra, largeCherry Sweet, Daniel, Delphin, Edino) calyx diameter  21.2 mm  22.0 mmfruit length 122.3 mm 132.8 mm fruit diameter at calyx  21.2 mm  22.9 mmattachment fruit diameter at mid-point  21.1 mm  26.7 mm flesh thicknessat mid-point   2.6 mm   2.4 mm average number of fruits per 29.4 27.1plant % large fruits 15.70% 33.70% weight range: weight range: 20 to 3025 to 45 % medium fruits 52.60% 39.50% weight range: weight range: 10 to19 15 to 24 % small fruits 31.70% 26.80% weight range: weight range: 1to 9  1 to 14 average fruit weight  13.0 gm  21.9 gm fruit shape(longitudinal narrowly narrowly section) triangular (De triangularCayenne, Demon) fruit shape (cross section, at circular, circular levelof placenta) (Cherry Sweet Doux tres long des Landes) sinuation ofpericarp at basal very weak very weak part (Delphin, Kalocsai V-2,Milord) sinuation of pericarp excluding absent or absent or basal partvery weak very weak (Delphin, Milord) texture of surface smooth orslightly very slightly wrinkled wrinkled (Milord) color (at maturity)red (Feher, Lamuyo) red intensity of color (at maturity) dark darkmature fruit color red red mature fruit color (RHS Color N46A N46A Chartvalue) glossiness very strong/shiny very strong/ (Floridor, Kappy) shinystalk cavity absent (Corinto, absent Como di toro, Sweet banana, Sucettede Provence) pedicel length  34.7 mm  55.3 mm pedicel thickness   4.0 mm  5.2 mm pedicel shape curved curved pedicel cavity absent absent stalk:length medium very long (Feher, Sonar) stalk: thickness thin (Sweetbanana) medium base shape rounded rounded shape of apex very acute/moderately pointed (De acute Cayenne, Hot chili) shape Elongate Elongate(Long Thin (Long Thin Cayenne) Cayenne) set concentrated concentrateddepth of interloculary grooves absent (De Cayenne) medium number oflocules predominately predominately three three (Century) and four %fruits with one locule    0%    0% % fruits with two locules  3.40%   0% % fruits with three locules 76.60% 56.60% % fruits with fourlocules   20% 43.40% % fruits with five or more    0%    0% loculesaverage number of locules 3.2 3.4 thickness of flesh thin (Banan, thinCarre doux extra hatif, Dous tres long des Landes) calyx: aspectenveloping enveloping (cup shaped) (cup shaped) (De Cayenne, Sweetbanana) pungency hot hot capsaicin in placenta present present (DeCayenne) mg Capsaicin per gram dry fruit   0.11 mg   0.31 mg ScovilleUnits (dry fruit) 1,614 4,848 flavor strong pepper strong pepper flavorflavor glossiness shiny shiny 7. Seed seed cavity length 113.0 mm 126.8mm seed cavity diameter  22.6 mm  22.6 mm placenta length  76.6 mm  96.9mm number of seeds per fruit 77.1 129.2 grams per 1000 seeds  4.7 gm 5.9 gm color yellow yellow 8. Anthocyanin coloration of: hypocotylabsent (Albaregia, absent Albena) stem absent absent nodes moderatestrong stem: intensity of anthocyanin medium (Clovis, strong colorationof nodes Lamuyo, Sonar) leaf absent weak pedicel absent absent calyxabsent absent anther present (Lamuyo) present fruit coloration absent(Lamuyo) absent beginning of flowering (1^(st) early (Carre doux earlyflower on 2^(nd) flowering node) extra hatif, Cupido, Feher, Flaviano,Lito Trophy) time of maturity early (Feher, Lady very early Bell,Topgirl) *These are typical values. Values may vary due to environment.Other values that are substantially equivalent are also within the scopeof the invention.

C. Breeding Pepper Plants

One aspect of the current invention concerns methods for producing seedof pepper hybrid SV4919HG involving crossing pepper linesGUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028. Alternatively, in other embodimentsof the invention, hybrid SV4919HG, line GUA-FD-1007-9473-6, or lineHZZ-114-1028 may be crossed with itself or with any second plant. Suchmethods can be used for propagation of hybrid SV4919HG and/or the pepperlines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028, or can be used to produceplants that are derived from hybrid SV4919HG and/or the pepper linesGUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028. Plants derived from hybrid SV4919HGand/or the pepper lines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028 may be used,in certain embodiments, for the development of new pepper varieties.

The development of new varieties using one or more starting varieties iswell known in the art. In accordance with the invention, novel varietiesmay be created by crossing hybrid SV4919HG followed by multiplegenerations of breeding according to such well known methods. Newvarieties may be created by crossing with any second plant. In selectingsuch a second plant to cross for the purpose of developing novel lines,it may be desired to choose those plants which either themselves exhibitone or more selected desirable characteristics or which exhibit thedesired characteristic(s) when in hybrid combination. Once initialcrosses have been made, inbreeding and selection take place to producenew varieties. For development of a uniform line, often five or moregenerations of selfing and selection are involved.

Uniform lines of new varieties may also be developed by way ofdouble-haploids. This technique allows the creation of true breedinglines without the need for multiple generations of selfing andselection. In this manner true breeding lines can be produced in aslittle as one generation. Haploid embryos may be produced frommicrospores, pollen, anther cultures, or ovary cultures. The haploidembryos may then be doubled autonomously, or by chemical treatments(e.g. colchicine treatment). Alternatively, haploid embryos may be growninto haploid plants and treated to induce chromosome doubling. In eithercase, fertile homozygous plants are obtained. In accordance with theinvention, any of such techniques may be used in connection with a plantof the invention and progeny thereof to achieve a homozygous line.

Backcrossing can also be used to improve an inbred plant. Backcrossingtransfers a specific desirable trait from one inbred or non-inbredsource to an inbred that lacks that trait. This can be accomplished, forexample, by first crossing a superior inbred (A) (recurrent parent) to adonor inbred (non-recurrent parent), which carries the appropriate locusor loci for the trait in question. The progeny of this cross are thenmated back to the superior recurrent parent (A) followed by selection inthe resultant progeny for the desired trait to be transferred from thenon-recurrent parent. After five or more backcross generations withselection for the desired trait, the progeny have the characteristicbeing transferred, but are like the superior parent for most or almostall other loci. The last backcross generation would be selfed to givepure breeding progeny for the trait being transferred.

The plants of the present invention are particularly well suited for thedevelopment of new lines based on the elite nature of the geneticbackground of the plants. In selecting a second plant to cross withSV4919HG and/or pepper lines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028 for thepurpose of developing novel pepper lines, it will typically be preferredto choose those plants which either themselves exhibit one or moreselected desirable characteristics or which exhibit the desiredcharacteristic(s) when in hybrid combination. Examples of desirabletraits may include, in specific embodiments, high seed yield, high seedgermination, seedling vigor, high fruit yield, disease tolerance orresistance, and adaptability for soil and climate conditions.Consumer-driven traits, such as a fruit shape, color, texture, and tasteare other examples of traits that may be incorporated into new lines ofpepper plants developed by this invention.

D. Performance Characteristics

As described above, hybrid SV4919HG exhibits desirable traits, asconferred by pepper lines GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028. Theperformance characteristics of hybrid SV4919HG and pepper linesGUA-FD-1007-9473-6 and HZZ-114-1028 were the subject of an objectiveanalysis of the performance traits relative to other varieties. Theperformance characteristics of hybrid SV4919HG and comparative varietiesare shown below.

TABLE 3 Performance data of hybrid SV4919HG and comparative varietiesColor Maturity Yld Len Wid Av.wt % dry Variety mature (DAT) g/plt cm cmg/fruit matter Barretero red 105 370 12.0 3.0 27.7 16.2 Fresnillo red106 358 14.0 2.7 24.7 18.4 SV4919HG red 105 409 12.3 3.2 29.7 17.6

E. Further Embodiments of the Invention

In certain aspects of the invention, plants described herein areprovided modified to include at least a first desired heritable trait.Such plants may, in one embodiment, be developed by a plant breedingtechnique called backcrossing, wherein essentially all of themorphological and physiological characteristics of a variety arerecovered in addition to a genetic locus transferred into the plant viathe backcrossing technique. The term single locus converted plant asused herein refers to those pepper plants which are developed by a plantbreeding technique called backcrossing, wherein essentially all of themorphological and physiological characteristics of a variety arerecovered in addition to the single locus transferred into the varietyvia the backcrossing technique. By essentially all of the morphologicaland physiological characteristics, it is meant that the characteristicsof a plant are recovered that are otherwise present when compared in thesame environment, other than an occasional variant trait that mightarise during backcrossing or direct introduction of a transgene.

Backcrossing methods can be used with the present invention to improveor introduce a characteristic into the present variety. The parentalpepper plant which contributes the locus for the desired characteristicis termed the nonrecurrent or donor parent. This terminology refers tothe fact that the nonrecurrent parent is used one time in the backcrossprotocol and therefore does not recur. The parental pepper plant towhich the locus or loci from the nonrecurrent parent are transferred isknown as the recurrent parent as it is used for several rounds in thebackcrossing protocol.

In a typical backcross protocol, the original variety of interest(recurrent parent) is crossed to a second variety (nonrecurrent parent)that carries the single locus of interest to be transferred. Theresulting progeny from this cross are then crossed again to therecurrent parent and the process is repeated until a pepper plant isobtained wherein essentially all of the morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of the recurrent parent are recovered in the convertedplant, in addition to the single transferred locus from the nonrecurrentparent.

The selection of a suitable recurrent parent is an important step for asuccessful backcrossing procedure. The goal of a backcross protocol isto alter or substitute a single trait or characteristic in the originalvariety. To accomplish this, a single locus of the recurrent variety ismodified or substituted with the desired locus from the nonrecurrentparent, while retaining essentially all of the rest of the desiredgenetic, and therefore the desired physiological and morphologicalconstitution of the original variety. The choice of the particularnonrecurrent parent will depend on the purpose of the backcross; one ofthe major purposes is to add some commercially desirable trait to theplant. The exact backcrossing protocol will depend on the characteristicor trait being altered and the genetic distance between the recurrentand nonrecurrent parents. Although backcrossing methods are simplifiedwhen the characteristic being transferred is a dominant allele, arecessive allele, or an additive allele (between recessive anddominant), may also be transferred. In this instance it may be necessaryto introduce a test of the progeny to determine if the desiredcharacteristic has been successfully transferred.

In one embodiment, progeny pepper plants of a backcross in which a plantdescribed herein is the recurrent parent comprise (i) the desired traitfrom the non-recurrent parent and (ii) all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of pepper the recurrent parent asdetermined at the 5% significance level when grown in the sameenvironmental conditions.

New varieties can also be developed from more than two parents. Thetechnique, known as modified backcrossing, uses different recurrentparents during the backcrossing. Modified backcrossing may be used toreplace the original recurrent parent with a variety having certain moredesirable characteristics or multiple parents may be used to obtaindifferent desirable characteristics from each.

With the development of molecular markers associated with particulartraits, it is possible to add additional traits into an established germline, such as represented here, with the end result being substantiallythe same base germplasm with the addition of a new trait or traits.Molecular breeding, as described in Moose and Mumm, 2008 (PlantPhysiology, 147: 969-977), for example, and elsewhere, provides amechanism for integrating single or multiple traits or QTL into an eliteline. This molecular breeding-facilitated movement of a trait or traitsinto an elite line may encompass incorporation of a particular genomicfragment associated with a particular trait of interest into the eliteline by the mechanism of identification of the integrated genomicfragment with the use of flanking or associated marker assays. In theembodiment represented here, one, two, three or four genomic loci, forexample, may be integrated into an elite line via this methodology. Whenthis elite line containing the additional loci is further crossed withanother parental elite line to produce hybrid offspring, it is possibleto then incorporate at least eight separate additional loci into thehybrid. These additional loci may confer, for example, such traits as adisease resistance or a fruit quality trait. In one embodiment, eachlocus may confer a separate trait. In another embodiment, loci may needto be homozygous and exist in each parent line to confer a trait in thehybrid. In yet another embodiment, multiple loci may be combined toconfer a single robust phenotype of a desired trait.

Many single locus traits have been identified that are not regularlyselected for in the development of a new inbred but that can be improvedby backcrossing techniques. Single locus traits may or may not betransgenic; examples of these traits include, but are not limited to,herbicide resistance, resistance to bacterial, fungal, or viral disease,insect resistance, modified fatty acid or carbohydrate metabolism, andaltered nutritional quality. These comprise genes generally inheritedthrough the nucleus.

Direct selection may be applied where the single locus acts as adominant trait. For this selection process, the progeny of the initialcross are assayed for viral resistance and/or the presence of thecorresponding gene prior to the backcrossing. Selection eliminates anyplants that do not have the desired gene and resistance trait, and onlythose plants that have the trait are used in the subsequent backcross.This process is then repeated for all additional backcross generations.

Selection of pepper plants for breeding is not necessarily dependent onthe phenotype of a plant and instead can be based on geneticinvestigations. For example, one can utilize a suitable genetic markerwhich is closely genetically linked to a trait of interest. One of thesemarkers can be used to identify the presence or absence of a trait inthe offspring of a particular cross, and can be used in selection ofprogeny for continued breeding. This technique is commonly referred toas marker assisted selection. Any other type of genetic marker or otherassay which is able to identify the relative presence or absence of atrait of interest in a plant can also be useful for breeding purposes.Procedures for marker assisted selection are well known in the art. Suchmethods will be of particular utility in the case of recessive traitsand variable phenotypes, or where conventional assays may be moreexpensive, time consuming or otherwise disadvantageous. Types of geneticmarkers which could be used in accordance with the invention include,but are not necessarily limited to, Simple Sequence Length Polymorphisms(SSLPs) (Williams et al., Nucleic Acids Res., 1 8:6531-6535, 1990),Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs), DNA AmplificationFingerprinting (DAF), Sequence Characterized Amplified Regions (SCARs),Arbitrary Primed Polymerase Chain Reaction (AP-PCR), Amplified FragmentLength Polymorphisms (AFLPs) (EP 534 858, specifically incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety), and Single NucleotidePolymorphisms (SNPs) (Wang et al., Science, 280:1077-1082, 1998).

F. Plants Derived by Genetic Engineering

Many useful traits that can be introduced by backcrossing, as well asdirectly into a plant, are those which are introduced by genetictransformation techniques. Genetic transformation may therefore be usedto insert a selected transgene into a plant of the invention or may,alternatively, be used for the preparation of transgenes which can beintroduced by backcrossing. Methods for the transformation of plantsthat are well known to those of skill in the art and applicable to manycrop species include, but are not limited to, electroporation,microprojectile bombardment, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation anddirect DNA uptake by protoplasts.

To effect transformation by electroporation, one may employ eitherfriable tissues, such as a suspension culture of cells or embryogeniccallus or alternatively one may transform immature embryos or otherorganized tissue directly. In this technique, one would partiallydegrade the cell walls of the chosen cells by exposing them topectin-degrading enzymes (pectolyases) or mechanically wound tissues ina controlled manner.

An efficient method for delivering transforming DNA segments to plantcells is microprojectile bombardment. In this method, particles arecoated with nucleic acids and delivered into cells by a propellingforce. Exemplary particles include those comprised of tungsten,platinum, and preferably, gold. For the bombardment, cells in suspensionare concentrated on filters or solid culture medium. Alternatively,immature embryos or other target cells may be arranged on solid culturemedium. The cells to be bombarded are positioned at an appropriatedistance below the macroprojectile stopping plate.

An illustrative embodiment of a method for delivering DNA into plantcells by acceleration is the Biolistics Particle Delivery System, whichcan be used to propel particles coated with DNA or cells through ascreen, such as a stainless steel or Nytex screen, onto a surfacecovered with target cells. The screen disperses the particles so thatthey are not delivered to the recipient cells in large aggregates.Microprojectile bombardment techniques are widely applicable, and may beused to transform virtually any plant species.

Agrobacterium-mediated transfer is another widely applicable system forintroducing gene loci into plant cells. An advantage of the technique isthat DNA can be introduced into whole plant tissues, thereby bypassingthe need for regeneration of an intact plant from a protoplast. ModernAgrobacterium transformation vectors are capable of replication in E.coli as well as Agrobacterium, allowing for convenient manipulations(Klee et al., Bio-Technology, 3(7):637-642, 1985). Moreover, recenttechnological advances in vectors for Agrobacterium-mediated genetransfer have improved the arrangement of genes and restriction sites inthe vectors to facilitate the construction of vectors capable ofexpressing various polypeptide coding genes. The vectors described haveconvenient multi-linker regions flanked by a promoter and apolyadenylation site for direct expression of inserted polypeptidecoding genes. Additionally, Agrobacterium containing both armed anddisarmed Ti genes can be used for transformation.

In those plant strains where Agrobacterium-mediated transformation isefficient, it is the method of choice because of the facile and definednature of the gene locus transfer. The use of Agrobacterium-mediatedplant integrating vectors to introduce DNA into plant cells is wellknown in the art (Fraley et al., Bio/Technology, 3:629-635, 1985; U.S.Pat. No. 5,563,055).

Transformation of plant protoplasts also can be achieved using methodsbased on calcium phosphate precipitation, polyethylene glycol treatment,electroporation, and combinations of these treatments (see, e.g.,Potrykus et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 199:183-188, 1985; Omirulleh et al.,Plant Mol. Biol., 21(3):415-428, 1993; Fromm et al., Nature,312:791-793, 1986; Uchimiya et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 204:204, 1986;Marcotte et al., Nature, 335:454, 1988). Transformation of plants andexpression of foreign genetic elements is exemplified in Choi et al.(Plant Cell Rep., 13: 344-348, 1994), and Ellul et al. (Theor. Appl.Genet., 107:462-469, 2003).

A number of promoters have utility for plant gene expression for anygene of interest including but not limited to selectable markers,scoreable markers, genes for pest tolerance, disease resistance,nutritional enhancements and any other gene of agronomic interest.Examples of constitutive promoters useful for plant gene expressioninclude, but are not limited to, the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV)P-35S promoter, which confers constitutive, high-level expression inmost plant tissues (see, e.g., Odel et al., Nature, 313:810, 1985),including in monocots (see, e.g., Dekeyser et al., Plant Cell, 2:591,1990; Terada and Shimamoto, Mol. Gen. Genet., 220:389, 1990); a tandemlyduplicated version of the CaMV 35S promoter, the enhanced 35S promoter(P-e35S); the nopaline synthase promoter (An et al., Plant Physiol.,88:547, 1988); the octopine synthase promoter (Fromm et al., Plant Cell,1:977, 1989); and the figwort mosaic virus (P-FMV) promoter as describedin U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,619 and an enhanced version of the FMV promoter(P-eFMV) where the promoter sequence of P-FMV is duplicated in tandem;the cauliflower mosaic virus 19S promoter; a sugarcane bacilliform viruspromoter; a commelina yellow mottle virus promoter; and other plant DNAvirus promoters known to express in plant cells.

A variety of plant gene promoters that are regulated in response toenvironmental, hormonal, chemical, and/or developmental signals can alsobe used for expression of an operably linked gene in plant cells,including promoters regulated by (1) heat (Callis et al., PlantPhysiol., 88:965, 1988), (2) light (e.g., pea rbcS-3A promoter,Kuhlemeier et al., Plant Cell, 1:471, 1989; maize rbcS promoter,Schaffner and Sheen, Plant Cell, 3:997, 1991; or chlorophyll a/b-bindingprotein promoter, Simpson et al., EMBO J., 4:2723, 1985), (3) hormones,such as abscisic acid (Marcotte et al., Plant Cell, 1:969, 1989), (4)wounding (e.g., wunl, Siebertz et al., Plant Cell, 1:961, 1989); or (5)chemicals such as methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid, or Safener. It mayalso be advantageous to employ organ-specific promoters (e.g., Roshal etal., EMBO J., 6:1155, 1987; Schernthaner et al., EMBO J., 7:1249, 1988;Bustos et al., Plant Cell, 1:839, 1989).

Exemplary nucleic acids which may be introduced to plants of thisinvention include, for example, DNA sequences or genes from anotherspecies, or even genes or sequences which originate with or are presentin the same species, but are incorporated into recipient cells bygenetic engineering methods rather than classical reproduction orbreeding techniques. However, the term “exogenous” is also intended torefer to genes that are not normally present in the cell beingtransformed, or perhaps simply not present in the form, structure, etc.,as found in the transforming DNA segment or gene, or genes which arenormally present and that one desires to express in a manner thatdiffers from the natural expression pattern, e.g., to over-express.Thus, the term “exogenous” gene or DNA is intended to refer to any geneor DNA segment that is introduced into a recipient cell, regardless ofwhether a similar gene may already be present in such a cell. The typeof DNA included in the exogenous DNA can include DNA which is alreadypresent in the plant cell, DNA from another plant, DNA from a differentorganism, or a DNA generated externally, such as a DNA sequencecontaining an antisense message of a gene, or a DNA sequence encoding asynthetic or modified version of a gene.

Many hundreds if not thousands of different genes are known and couldpotentially be introduced into a pepper plant according to theinvention. Non-limiting examples of particular genes and correspondingphenotypes one may choose to introduce into a pepper plant include oneor more genes for insect tolerance, such as a Bacillus thuringiensis(B.t.) gene, pest tolerance such as genes for fungal disease control,herbicide tolerance such as genes conferring glyphosate tolerance, andgenes for quality improvements such as yield, nutritional enhancements,environmental or stress tolerances, or any desirable changes in plantphysiology, growth, development, morphology or plant product(s). Forexample, structural genes would include any gene that confers insecttolerance including but not limited to a Bacillus insect control proteingene as described in WO 99/31248, herein incorporated by reference inits entirety, U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,052, herein incorporated by referencein its entirety, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,500,365 and 5,880,275, hereinincorporated by reference in their entirety. In another embodiment, thestructural gene can confer tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate asconferred by genes including, but not limited to Agrobacterium strainCP4 glyphosate resistant EPSPS gene (aroA:CP4) as described in U.S. Pat.No. 5,633,435, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, orglyphosate oxidoreductase gene (GOX) as described in U.S. Pat. No.5,463,175, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Alternatively, the DNA coding sequences can affect these phenotypes byencoding a non-translatable RNA molecule that causes the targetedinhibition of expression of an endogenous gene, for example viaantisense- or cosuppression-mediated mechanisms (see, for example, Birdet al., Biotech. Gen. Engin. Rev., 9:207, 1991). The RNA could also be acatalytic RNA molecule (i.e., a ribozyme) engineered to cleave a desiredendogenous mRNA product (see for example, Gibson and Shillito, Mol.Biotech., 7:125, 1997). Thus, any gene which produces a protein or mRNAwhich expresses a phenotype or morphology change of interest is usefulfor the practice of the present invention.

G. Definitions

In the description and tables herein, a number of terms are used. Inorder to provide a clear and consistent understanding of thespecification and claims, the following definitions are provided:

Allele: Any of one or more alternative forms of a gene locus, all ofwhich alleles relate to one trait or characteristic. In a diploid cellor organism, the two alleles of a given gene occupy corresponding locion a pair of homologous chromosomes.

Backcrossing: A process in which a breeder repeatedly crosses hybridprogeny, for example a first generation hybrid (F₁), back to one of theparents of the hybrid progeny. Backcrossing can be used to introduce oneor more single locus conversions from one genetic background intoanother.

Crossing: The mating of two parent plants.

Cross-pollination: Fertilization by the union of two gametes fromdifferent plants.

Diploid: A cell or organism having two sets of chromosomes.

Emasculate: The removal of plant male sex organs or the inactivation ofthe organs with a cytoplasmic or nuclear genetic factor or a chemicalagent conferring male sterility.

Enzymes: Molecules which can act as catalysts in biological reactions.

F₁ Hybrid: The first generation progeny of the cross of two nonisogenicplants.

Genotype: The genetic constitution of a cell or organism.

Haploid: A cell or organism having one set of the two sets ofchromosomes in a diploid.

Linkage: A phenomenon wherein alleles on the same chromosome tend tosegregate together more often than expected by chance if theirtransmission was independent.

Marker: A readily detectable phenotype, preferably inherited incodominant fashion (both alleles at a locus in a diploid heterozygoteare readily detectable), with no environmental variance component, i.e.,heritability of 1.

Phenotype: The detectable characteristics of a cell or organism, whichcharacteristics are the manifestation of gene expression.

Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL): Quantitative trait loci (QTL) refer togenetic loci that control to some degree numerically representabletraits that are usually continuously distributed.

Resistance: As used herein, the terms “resistance” and “tolerance” areused interchangeably to describe plants that show no symptoms to aspecified biotic pest, pathogen, abiotic influence or environmentalcondition. These terms are also used to describe plants showing somesymptoms but that are still able to produce marketable product with anacceptable yield. Some plants that are referred to as resistant ortolerant are only so in the sense that they may still produce a crop,even though the plants are stunted and the yield is reduced.

Regeneration: The development of a plant from tissue culture.

Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) color chart value: The RHS color chartis a standardized reference which allows accurate identification of anycolor. A color's designation on the chart describes its hue, brightnessand saturation. A color is precisely named by the RHS color chart byidentifying the group name, sheet number and letter, e.g., Yellow-OrangeGroup 19A or Red Group 41B.

Self-pollination: The transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigmaof the same plant.

Single Locus Converted (Conversion) Plant: Plants which are developed bya plant breeding technique called backcrossing, wherein essentially allof the morphological and physiological characteristics of a peppervariety are recovered in addition to the characteristics of the singlelocus transferred into the variety via the backcrossing technique and/orby genetic transformation.

Substantially Equivalent: A characteristic that, when compared, does notshow a statistically significant difference (e.g., p=0.05) from themean.

Tissue Culture: A composition comprising isolated cells of the same or adifferent type or a collection of such cells organized into parts of aplant.

Transgene: A genetic locus comprising a sequence which has beenintroduced into the genome of a pepper plant by transformation.

H. Deposit Information

A deposit of pepper hybrid SV4919HG and inbred parent lineGUA-FD-1007-9473-6, disclosed above and recited in the claims, has beenmade with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 UniversityBlvd., Manassas, Va. 20110-2209. The date of deposit was Oct. 28, 2014.The accession numbers for those deposited seeds of pepper hybridSV4919HG and inbred parent line GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 are ATCC AccessionNo. PTA-121681, ATCC Accession No. PTA-121680, respectively. Uponissuance of a patent, all restrictions upon the deposits will beremoved, and the deposits are intended to meet all of the requirementsof 37 C.F.R. §1.801-1.809. The deposits will be maintained in thedepository for a period of 30 years, or 5 years after the last request,or for the effective life of the patent, whichever is longer, and willbe replaced if necessary during that period.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail byway of illustration and example for purposes of clarity andunderstanding, it will be obvious that certain changes and modificationsmay be practiced within the scope of the invention, as limited only bythe scope of the appended claims.

All references cited herein are hereby expressly incorporated herein byreference.

What is claimed is:
 1. A pepper plant comprising at least a first set ofthe chromosomes of pepper line GUA-FD-1007-9473-6, a sample of seed ofsaid line having been deposited under ATCC Accession Number PTA-121680.2. A seed comprising at least a first set of the chromosomes of pepperline GUA-FD-1007-9473-6, a sample of seed of said line having beendeposited under ATCC Accession Number PTA-121680.
 3. The plant of claim1, which is an inbred.
 4. The plant of claim 1, which is a hybrid. 5.The seed of claim 2, which is an inbred.
 6. The seed of claim 2, whichis a hybrid.
 7. The plant of claim 4, wherein the hybrid plant is pepperhybrid SV4919HG, a sample of seed of said hybrid SV4919HG having beendeposited under ATCC Accession Number PTA-121681.
 8. The seed of claim6, defined as a seed of pepper hybrid SV4919HG, a sample of seed of saidhybrid SV4919HG having been deposited under ATCC Accession NumberPTA-121681.
 9. The seed of claim 2, defined as a seed of lineGUA-FD-1007-9473-6.
 10. A plant part of the plant of claim
 1. 11. Theplant part of claim 10, further defined as a leaf, an ovule, pollen, afruit, or a cell.
 12. A pepper plant having all the physiological andmorphological characteristics of the pepper plant of claim
 7. 13. Atissue culture of regenerable cells of the plant of claim
 1. 14. Thetissue culture according to claim 13, comprising cells or protoplastsfrom a plant part selected from the group consisting of embryos,meristems, cotyledons, pollen, leaves, anthers, roots, root tips,pistil, flower, seed and stalks.
 15. A pepper plant regenerated from thetissue culture of claim 13, wherein said plant otherwise comprises allof the morphological and physiological characteristics of the pepperplant comprising at least a first set of the chromosomes of pepper lineGUA-FD-1007-9473-6, a sample of seed of said line having been depositedunder ATCC Accession Number PTA-121680.
 16. A method of vegetativelypropagating the pepper plant of claim 1 comprising the steps of: (a)collecting tissue capable of being propagated from the plant accordingto claim 1; (b) cultivating said tissue to obtain proliferated shoots;and (c) rooting said proliferated shoots to obtain rooted plantlets. 17.The method of claim 16, further comprising growing at least a firstpepper plant from said rooted plantlets.
 18. A method of introducing adesired trait into a pepper line comprising: (a) crossing a plant ofline GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 with a second pepper plant that comprises adesired trait to produce F1 progeny, a sample of seed of said linehaving been deposited under ATCC Accession Number PTA-121680; (b)selecting an F1 progeny that comprises the desired trait; (c)backcrossing the selected F1 progeny with a plant of lineGUA-FD-1007-9473-6 to produce backcross progeny; (d) selecting backcrossprogeny comprising the desired trait and the physiological andmorphological characteristic of pepper line GUA-FD-1007-9473-6; and (e)repeating steps (c) and (d) three or more times to produce selectedfourth or higher backcross progeny that comprise the desired trait. 19.A pepper plant produced by the method of claim
 18. 20. A method ofproducing a pepper plant comprising an added trait, the methodcomprising introducing a transgene conferring the trait into a plant ofpepper hybrid SV4919HG, or pepper line GUA-FD-1007-9473-6, a sample ofseed of said hybrid and line having been deposited under ATCC AccessionNumber PTA-121681, and ATCC Accession Number PTA-121680, respectively.21. A plant produced by the method of claim
 20. 22. The plant of claim1, further comprising a transgene.
 23. The plant of claim 22, whereinthe transgene confers a trait selected from the group consisting of malesterility, herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, pest resistance,disease resistance, modified fatty acid metabolism, environmental stresstolerance, modified carbohydrate metabolism and modified proteinmetabolism.
 24. The plant of claim 1, further comprising a single locusconversion, wherein said plant otherwise comprises essentially all ofthe morphological and physiological characteristics of the pepper plantcomprising at least a first set of the chromosomes of pepper lineGUA-FD-1007-9473-6, a sample of seed of said line having been depositedunder ATCC Accession Number PTA-121680.
 25. The plant of claim 24,wherein the single locus conversion confers a trait selected from thegroup consisting of male sterility, herbicide tolerance, insectresistance, pest resistance, disease resistance, modified fatty acidmetabolism, environmental stress tolerance, modified carbohydratemetabolism and modified protein metabolism.
 26. A method for producing aseed of a pepper plant derived from at least one of pepper hybridSV4919HG, or pepper line GUA-FD-1007-9473-6 comprising the steps of: (a)crossing a pepper plant of hybrid SV4919HG, or line GUA-FD-1007-9473-6with itself or a second pepper plant; a sample of seed of said hybridand line having been deposited under ATCC Accession Number PTA-121681,and ATCC Accession Number PTA-121680, respectively; and (b) allowingseed of a hybrid SV4919HG, or line GUA-FD-1007-9473-6-derived pepperplant to form.
 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the stepsof: (c) selfing a plant grown from said hybrid SV4919HG, orGUA-FD-1007-9473-6-derived pepper seed to yield additional hybridSV4919HG, or line GUA-FD-1007-9473-6-derived pepper seed; (d) growingsaid additional hybrid SV4919HG, or line GUA-FD-1007-9473-6-derivedpepper seed of step (c) to yield additional hybrid SV4919HG, or lineGUA-FD-1007-9473-6-derived pepper plants; and (e) repeating the crossingand growing steps of (c) and (d) to generate at least a first furtherhybrid SV4919HG, or line GUA-FD-1007-9473-6-derived pepper plant. 28.The method of claim 26, wherein the second pepper plant is of an inbredpepper line.
 29. The method of claim 27, further comprising: (f)crossing the further hybrid SV4919HG, or GUA-FD-1007-9473-6-derivedpepper plant with a second pepper plant to produce seed of a hybridprogeny plant.
 30. A plant part of the plant of claim
 7. 31. The plantpart of claim 30, further defined as a leaf, an ovule, pollen, a fruit,or a cell.
 32. A method of producing a pepper seed comprising crossingthe plant of claim 1 with itself or a second pepper plant and allowingseed to form.
 33. A method of producing a pepper fruit comprising: (a)obtaining the plant according to claim 1, wherein the plant has beencultivated to maturity; and (b) collecting a pepper from the plant.